Coated fabric.



-W. G. AYRES.

COATED FABRIC. APPLICATION FILED APR. 23. 1915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

WILLIAM G. AYRES, OF PHILADELPHIA, IPENNSYLVANIA, ASS-IGNOR 'IQ WM.AYRES 85 SONS, A FIRM COMPOSED OF LOUIS AYRES, WILLIAM G. AYRES, GEORGEB. i AYRES, AND ESTATE OF WILLIAM M. AYRES, 0FPHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA. I

COATED FABRIC,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1915. Serial No. 23,464.

ingmuch simpler and cheaper to manufac-- ture.

The structure or article forming the subject of my invention includes alayer or core of open mesh burlap, or similar open mesh fabric of anydesired character, preferably cheap, through which has been pricked,'inany usual and well known manner, a fibrous batting; such batting beingcomposed preferably of cheap fibrous material of animal or vegetableorigin, shoddy and the like, and having, by preference, a relativelylong fiber. This batting or mass of fibrous material is pricked inthrough the open mesh fabric core, and when this operation isaccomplished, the fabric and fibrous body comprises a fabric core, whichmay be the burlap, with a relatively thick layer of intermeshed andmatted fibers on one side of the same and a relatively thin layer ofintermeshed and matted fibers on the opposite side of said core; therespective layers being connected together by the fibrous portions whichpass through the interstices of the open mesh fabric core. In, astructure of this character, however, there is no real bond between thericked in portions on the respective sides of the fabric core, and it isa comparatively easy matter to strip the thicker layer of fibers fromthe said fabric core, and to pull through the latter the thinner layerof fibers.

The main object of my invention, therefore, is to provide means wherebyI can transform this type of a pricked-in fabric into a factitiousleather, and at the same time lock the thinner layer or pricked-inportion ofthe fibrous mass on one side 0 thecore and thereby insure theretention of it as well as the thicker mass to said. core.

For this purpose, I apply to thethinner layer of hers a coating orcoatings of a sultable cellulosic body, whichis applied in a manner moreparticularly set forth hereinafter. These and other features of myinyention will be more fully pointed out herelnafter, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view, partly in sect1on, of a finished fabricmade in accordance w1th my invention; Fig. 2, is a sectional Viewshowing the pricked-in material before the coating has been placedthereon; Fig. 3, is a similar sectional view showing the fabric afterthe preliminary coating has been applied, and Fig. .4, is a similarsectional View showing the finished and coated fabric- I In carrying myinvention into effect, I take a piece of woven fabric of suitable openmesh and through the interstices or meshes between the threads of thesame I prick a suitable fibrous batting; the fibrous portions togetherby the fibrous parts which pass through the fabric, and both surfacesare subsequently flattened and partially felted by suitable means.

In view of the fact that the mass of fibers pricked through isrelatively less than the mass of fibers on the side from which thepricking is accomplished, there is grave danger of the thinner layer offibers pulling out and the thicker mass of pricked-in fibers beingpulled away from the core through the meshes of the same. I overcomethis objection,-however, by coating the surface having the'thinnerlayers of fibers, which have been pricked through the core, with asuitable enamel body, or composition of any desired character,preferably a colloidal body of a cellulosic nature, which will-form animpervious oating for the fibrous material,

and will a the same time provide a means of permanently lockingthoseportions of the f fibers which have'been pricked through the meshes ofthe woven fabric. In effecting this coating, I prefer to employ twosteps.

Patented Nov. 2, rats. a

To this end the layer of fibers on one or both sides of the fabric corewhich is to be finished with the waterproof coating is coated with athin bodied liquid coating of a. cellulosic nature, and while still wetor damp this coated surface is subjected to pressure. This operationwill have the effect of laying and holding down all of the fine, looseends or threads of the fibers flat and smooth against the surface of thefabric; thus preparing such surface for the reception of the finalfinish coating and avoiding all danger of such fine hairs showingthrough the same.

In the drawing, 1 represents the open mesh fabric core; 2'the thick massof fibers on one side; 2* the thinner mass of fibers on the other sideand Which have been pricked through the fabric; 3 the preliminarycoating to lay the fine threads or fibers, and 4 the final imperviouscoating which forms the finish surface of the fabric and which may bestamped or pressed to imitate the grain of various kinds of leather.

It will be understood, of course, that the core which I may employ is inevery instance a fabric, preferably woven, having a relatively largethread with a suitable mesh that will permit the fibers to readily passthrough the same in the pricking-in operation. and it may be of anysuitable, though preferably cheap, material and with a coarse mesh. Thefibrous batting which is pricked through this fabric core may be ofanimal, vegetable, or mineral origin, and the thickness of the battingemployed will depend largely upon the use to which the finished productis to be put.

The coating material, both preliminary and final, may be ofany suitablecharacter common to fabrics of thisgeneral character, but in allinstances it is preferably water-proof and of a colloidal nature. Itmay, of course, be ofany desired color, and While such coating materialis usually applied to' one face only of the fibrous body, it may beapplied to both faces of the same without limiting the scope of myinvention or the breadth of the claims, and it may be applied to eitherface.

The coating material, whatever its nature, may be finished by pebblingthe same for the purpose of imitating the grain of various kinds ofleathers, and its surface may be treated in any way for ornamentalpurposes, either as to configuration or finish so long as such treatmentdoes not afiect its water-proofing qualities, its elasticity, or disturbthe fibrous body receiving such coating layer.

As the coating material, I may employ asuitable body having a cellulosicbase, and it will be understood, of course, that the coat ing material,of whatever nature, may be applied at a single operation, or it may beapplied in a number of successive layers, with or Without dryingintervals, depending upon the amount of surface necessary or desirableto accomplish the purpose I have in view, or the use to which the fabricis to be put. Of whatever nature, such coating material is preferablyelastic so that it may yield With the mass of fibers constituting thebody Pof the coated fabric or factitious leather, and avoid cracking ofsuch surface no matter what the nature or finish of such surface may be.

While I'have more particularly referred to a special form of fabric orfibrous body having a core through which fibrous material is pricked asthe base of my improved coated fabric, I do not wish to be limited tothe use of such fabric or fibrous body. In some instances, I may coatthe surface or surfaces of ordinary felted bodies in which no core ispresent; the coating being applied at two distinct operations, with anintervening step of subjecting the first coating to pressure while it iswet or damp so as to properly prepare the fabric face to receive thefinal or finish coating and avoid the dan ger of the fine threads orhairs of the fibrous body or sheet constituting the base of the fabricappearing through it.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a"

side of said core, a thin mass of fibrous material on the opposite faceof said core, said fibrous masses being connected to each other throughthe core, a preliminary coating of colloidal material on one face ofsaid fibrous material to lay the fibers of the body perferctly smooth,and a finish coating applied to the preliminarily coated surface. 3. Asa new article of manufacture, a coated fabric comprising a body or coreof coarse burlap, a mass of fibrous material on both sides of saidburlap and connected through the same, a preliminary coating ofcolloidal material on one face of said fibrous material to lay thefibers of the body perfectly smooth, and a finish coating applied to thepreliminarily coated surface.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a coated fabric comprising a body orcore of coarse burlap, a thick mass of fibrous material on one side ofsaid burlap, a thin mass of fibrous material on the opposite face ofsaid burlap, said fibrous masses being connected to each other throughthe meshes of the burlap, a preliminary coating of colloidal material onone face of said fibrous material to lay the fibers of the bodyperfectly smooth, and a finish coating applied to the preliminarilycoated surface.

v5. The process of making a coated fabric comprising 'a fabric. body orcore having masses of fibrous material on both sides of fabric, andsubjecting such face to pressure the same connected to each otherthrough the meshes of the core, which consists in applying colloidalliquid coating material to one face of said fabric, and subjecting suchface to pressure While the coating is still Wet or damp to lay thefibers covered thereby.

6. The process .of making a coated fabric comprising a fabric body orcore having masses of fibrous material on both sides of the sameconnected to each other through the meshes of the core, which consistsin' applying colloidal liquid coating material to one face of saidfabric, subjecting such face to pressure while the coating is still Wetor while the coating is still wet or damp to lay the fibers coveredthereby.

8. The process of making a coated fabric comprising a fabric body orcore having a thick mass of fibrous material on one s1de of the same anda thin mass of fibrous material on the opposite side of said burlap,said fibrous masses being connected to each other through the meshes'ofthe core, which consists in pricking said fibers through the meshes ofthe core,- applying a colloidal liquid coating to the face of saidfabric having the thin layer of fibers, and subjecting such face topressure While the coating is still, wet or damp to lay the fiberscovered thereby. v

9. The process of making a coated fabric comprising a body or core ofcoarse burlap having masses of fibrous material on both sides of thesame, said fibrous masses being connected to each other through themeshes of the burlap, which consists in pricking said fibers through themeshes of the burlap, applying a colloidal liquid coating to one face ofsaid fabric, subjecting such face to pressure While the coating is stillwet or damp to lay the fibers covered thereby, dryingthesame, and thenapplying a coating of elastic waterproof material to the preliminarilycoated face of fibrous material.

10, The process of making a coated fabric comprising a body or core ofcoarse burlap having a thick mass of fibrous material on one side of thesame and a thin mass of fibrous material on the opposite side of saidburlap, said fibrous masses being connected burlap, which consists inpricking said fibers through the meshes of the burlap, applying acolloidal liquid coating to the face of said fabric having the thinlayer of fibers, subpressure while the coatjecting such face to ing isstill Wet or damp to lay the fibers vcovered thereby, drying the same,and then applying a coating of elastic waterproof material to thepreliminarily coated face of "to each other through the meshes of thefibrous material, which coating serves to lock core.

the fibers to the WVILLIAM G. AYRES.

